One of the greatest moments in the short history of this site came when the NHL returned in the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles. The league opened with 2 exhibition games per team. Every single one went under. Then the opening round started. 12 of the first 15 games went under. Hopefully you follow me on Facebook because the unders were coming so fast I could not keep up with all of them. The similarities between then and now are striking. There has been no preseason for teams to find their game legs, and with a shortened season every game matters. There are 5 games tonight, and I feel like 4 of them will follow form. Winners will be challenging to predict because teams will play very conservatively, especially early. A few untimely penalties will more than likely be the difference in most of today’s games. The first game involves the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. While there is still plenty of offensive talent, including Sidney Crosby, Evegeny Malkin and Claude Giroux, the goalies will be the story. Tristan Jarry and Carter Hart will be looking to continue strong seasons. Expect more the same in Toronto, where the Canadiens visit. Montreal was able to choke the life out of the more talented Penguins in the bubble by clogging the neutral zone, and clamping down defensively. The Leafs have more offensive talent than the Habs do, but Carey Price and the Montreal defense will keep it low scoring. Vancouver also faces off with Edmonton. Thatcher Demko was the breakout star of the playoffs, almost singlehandedly defeating the heavily favored Golden Knights in last year’s playoffs. In the largest mismatch of the night, Chicago and backup goalie Malcolm Subban faces the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The price is way too high on the Lightning, who are missing last season’s Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov. The Blackhawks are a disfunctional mess, and will be without captain Jonathan Toews. The only game that may differ is the final game of the night. The Colorado Avalanche are likely the NHL’s best team. and are out to prove. The luster of Blues goalie Jordan Binnington and the power of Laura Branigan’s Gloria have worn off. Look for the Avs to put the league on notice.
The Picks:
Pit/Phi Under 6 (-120)
Mtl/Tor Under 6 (-120)
Chi/TB Under 6.5 (-120)
Van/Edm Under 6 (-110)
Avalanche ML (-145)
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